Transportation Committee – Minutes January 2015

Peter opened the meeting and drew our attention to last month’s minutes. Erin brilliantly recapped

Jonathan William’s visit at last month’s meeting. Peter asked Angela to follow up with Mr. Williams to find out the progress of the actions he’d said he could take on our behalf.

 Getting NE 61st Street, NE 62nd Street and NE 66th Street included in this year’s parking survey (which last year only included business areas).

 Updating us on the efforts to allow only one RPZ permit per micro-housing room versus four for other addresses

 Looking into options to suggest to us for using Roosevelt High School’s parking lot. This would be included in a coordinated effort to point shoppers to available parking with signage and other communication.

 Provide information to us for conducting our own off-street parking study because SDOT generally does not conduct such studies given its limited resources.

 Looking into “disabled spots” and “Metro Park&Ride at the light rail station”.

Shane informed us that the company he works for does the on-street paid parking and he can provide the back-end data behind the analysis and recommendations if the committee wants it.

Peter reported on the RNAT’s briefing to the RNA Board on Tuesday, January 6, 2015, that included the following points.

 Peter talking about 66th as a green street

 Ben and Bill presenting the RNAT’s current efforts and values

 Some discussion about where in the process and how can the neighborhood influence bike, bus, transit, and roadway decisions

Based on the Board’s expressed respect for our committee’s work and support for further action, Peter reported what he’d like to see from our committee going forward.

 Peter wants each of us to look over the recommendation letter and send feedback by January 22nd to Ben and Bill (copying all committee members), who will make the appropriate changes.

Peter will sign and mail to Dirk.

 To determine what we can do at this point since the crossing is not where we want it: off 65th and away from the buses

 To determine which bicycle route we’d like to recommend to the Board, Peter wants us to communicate to the neighborhood through the RNA’s website, Roosie, and general meetings what are talking about and what we know thus far; receive feedback; make recommendations to the board.

The following strategy was agreed upon:

 Scott will determine when the bike committee could be ready to address the General Meeting of the RNA.

 Scott will contact Dawn Schellenberg (Shane’s recommended POC) regarding her availability to also be present representing SDOT and its Master Plan.

 Scott will communicate the optimal date to Angela.

 Angela will contact the Board Secretary, request that the committee be put on the agenda, and communicate back to the committee yea or nay.

 The committee will begin to submit articles for the RNA website, soliciting community response

 One month prior to the meeting we will submit an article to the Roosie (on the 20th of the month before we want it to run) outlining the various options with their pros and cons and soliciting responses.

 At the General Meeting the committee will lead the discussion and further solicit responses.

 Shane recommended that we also present at the RNABG meeting (discussed below) as part of this process, essentially giving us fuller and more balanced feedback.

Business Group:

Peter met with Kmbris, chair of the RNA’s Business Group (RNABG), to discuss interests that the RNAT and the RNABG hold in common. We have been invited to attend an RNABG meeting to make the following requests for consideration:

Shane recommended we make sure to address the RNABG to get their feedback. Peter said that so far no committee members have been able to attend the morning RNABG meetings because of work schedules. We should continue to try. In the meantime, he will talk to Kmbris about how best to include the RNABG in our communication and solicitation of responses. He will also find out which businesses attend the RNABG meetings.

Bike Group Report:

Finished up 12th Avenue green way south of Ravenna going all the way through the University District and eventually will go all the way to Burke-Gilman. They put out signs on cross streets, speed bumps, and lights with bike-specific sensors. Seems like the construction happened really quickly. Talking about putting a cut-through on the median.

Roosevelt re-pavement is going to start for the southend with a temporary cycle track. Construction will happen late spring/early summer.

Peter listed off the five Issues the bike group is working on:

 65th bike cycle track

 Resurfacing Roosevelt

 12th

 66th greenway

 Bike storage at the station

Parking Group:

Tom was back (double Woot!) and reported that he’d had a meeting with Community Fitness following up on the commitments management had made. He learned that the delay with the strip painting was due to staffing issues and that CF plans to paint in spring.

Peter asked the parking group to set a goal for talking to the various apartment developments that could be interested in being a “Spot Sharing” pilot site. These include:

6700 Roosevelt (who has expressed interest),

Square One (DONE—Peter reports that his contact said residents work non-traditionally and don’t leave spots open during the day),

Peter expressed disappointment that we missed the comment period of all the existing construction and asked us how we could be aware and involved earlier in the permit process. Tom and Erin will come up with a proposal. Scott said he could email us when he hears about new development.

Light Rail:

Erin made Sounding Board for U-Link that terminates at Husky Stadium. (Woot!)

Pedestrian:

Weedin Place will need pedestrian access. Although Elaine is taking a leave from the committee while she takes a night course, Angela and Kmbris are in contact with her. Angela will make sure they are talking about Weedin Place in addition to Kmbris’s expressed interest in an All-Walk/Amble Scramble at 65th and Roosevelt.

Buses:

Peter presented his recommendation and outline for a bus sub-committee or RNAT and asked for feedback and volunteers to be on this sub-committee. Peter will send the report via email later this week.

Shane gave the immediate feedback to Peter to not forget the eastside buses Metro 242 (peak hours) and Sound Transit 542, which make up 25% of the buses.

Shane reported that the mayor has said that city will be taking on more of a role in transit, including funding more of it and hiring a Transit Czar (Paolo Nunes-Ueno who was formerly with Seattle Children’s Hospital) who is very pro-buses and pro-bike. Peter asked Shane to make contact with Nunes-Ueono in hopes of having his help down the line.

Erin recommended that since the lightrail station is six years out the scope of the bus sub-committee would be expanded to also include short-term concerns like service changes (cuts and expansions) and growing population.

Shane reported that the Eastlake Study may be finished. There is a lot of support for high-capacity transit (RapidRide or trolley car). Peter said we need to know more about that and consider it when we’re thinking about our own issues.

Design Guidelines:

Peter asked Bill to keep us apprised and to speak for us at the Design Guidelines Workgroup Meetings.

For example, what is the law since City Council declared 66th a green street. What does that mean? Is that a legal requirement with force of law behind it? Are design guidelines legally binding or more of a list of nice-to-haves that developers can use when negotiating with community groups? It was said that during the hearings, findings are binding but not the comments. Peter reiterated the importance of not missing these comment periods again.